


Walls shifting in discomfort

by Melise



Series: Sleepless night [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Guilt, Heavy Angst, Non-Linear Narrative, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, What-If, at least not yet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-07-11 21:21:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 17,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19934683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melise/pseuds/Melise
Summary: Before the world was brought to a standstill, there were many moments in between. Some happier times, some less so.A companion piece to “Moving parts come undone.”





	1. Voices mounting- Obito

**Author's Note:**

> My decision to write “Moving parts come undone” through a different character’s point of view each chapter meant that there were a lot of little bits and pieces that I had to leave out of the story. Here are some of them. 
> 
> Story/chapter titles taken or inspired by lines from the poem “Insomnia” by Dana Gioia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obito stands guard over his departed teammates.

He doesn’t want to leave them here, but there’s little that Obito can do. As much as it agonizes him, as much as it makes him want to scream his frustrations into the night sky, Obito still recognizes that he can in no way take Rin and Kakashi with him. He only wants to pay his respects and lay them to rest, _but no one can know that he was here._

Obito isn’t beholden to anyone anymore, but Rin and Kakashi are. Or rather, they were.

His former teammates were here on a mission, which means that there will be shinobi looking for them once Konoha realizes that they haven’t returned. And Rin and Kakashi became a part of Kiri’s mission as well, so their shinobi will almost certainly be heading over too. It’s just a matter of who gets to them first. 

But Obito can’t do anything about it. If either of the retrieval teams arrives and finds Rin’s and Kakashi’s bodies missing, it’ll raise no shortage of questions. And Obito isn’t willing to enlighten them with answers just yet, not when he has so much to do. 

So he tells himself, he’ll only observe. Absolutely no interference on his part.

Kiri is the first to arrive. It’s to be expected, really. Their shinobi were right at the forefront of the Three Tails’s rampage while Konoha likely hasn’t even realized what’s happened yet. 

Perched on the branches of a nearby tree, Obito watches as the faintly skittish Kiri nin traverse through the crushed forest. He passively seethes as the team scouts the perimeter of the clearing, drawing closer and closer to his friends. Still appearing somewhat agitated, the shinobi carefully approach the two small bodies lying in the center. Obito manages to remain in his place at first. At least that’s the case until he sees one of the Kiri nin reach quite deliberately towards Kakashi’s left eye.

_How dare they._

Zetsu had in fact urged him to reclaim Kakashi’s Sharingan earlier, but Obito had refused vehemently. He doesn’t care that reuniting the two eyes would multiply his power immeasurably, a gift is still a gift. What kind of person would he be to take it back? After all, Kakashi had lost his own eye while acting in Obito’s defense. And now that a cruel twist of fate has left him the team’s sole survivor, it is up to Obito to see the world in his stead. 

The Sharingan belongs with Kakashi. 

Brimming with cold fury, Obito finds himself in front of the Kiri nin before they’ve even had the chance to make another move. The three of them recoil in surprise at both his sudden presence and his bizarre appearance. They retreat immediately towards the woods, and he falls into pursuit. While this goes completely against his earlier commitment to remain hidden, Obito can hardly bring himself to care. 

So what if these Kiri nin see him? All he has to do now is ensure that the would-be thieves don’t leave this clearing alive. And it should be easy enough to end them given his recently developed gifts. 

His Mangekyō, the advanced stage of his Sharingan that had awakened following his teammates’ deaths, grants him the ability to become intangible at will. In the back of his mind, Obito suspects that his power goes beyond turning into an apparition, rather it feels as though his body is leaving the physical realm itself.

He supposes that little detail doesn’t matter now. Either way, he’ll have plenty of time to experiment with that later.

The Kiri nin are utterly helpless against an opponent like him. Obito dissipates through their attacks like they were never there, relishing the look of growing panic on their faces. Dispatching them only requires several precise stabs aimed at a few of the most vulnerable points of the body. The heart, lungs, spinal cord, descending aorta, and carotid artery are among them. The Kiri nin try fruitlessly to stem the flows of gushing blood as they collapse lifelessly onto the ground. Obito watches their dying struggles and vaguely remembers the occasions in which he would try to help Rin study her medical texts. 

Their bodies go still in a matter of minutes. As Obito doesn’t want to leave the dead Kiri nin so close to where Rin and Kakashi rest, he gathers their bloody corpses and drops them unceremoniously in the woods just outside of the clearing. 

Let Kiri draw their own conclusions. 

Not long after, Konoha approaches next. And to his surprise, the retrieval team is led by none other than his former sensei. Minato, along with two shinobi that Obito doesn’t recognize, examine the area swiftly but methodically as they progress towards the clearing. 

Obito witnesses the exact moment Minato is confronted with the macabre scene of his last two students, and he can’t help but feel a sense of bitter satisfaction upon seeing his old sensei’s face crumple in pain at the sight. 

_Serves him right. He was never there when it mattered._

Where was Minato when Obito was trapped under the stones, struggling to breathe and unable to see? Where was he when Rin had the Three Tails sealed into her? Where was he when Kakashi was gored through by the tailed beast? 

_Where was he when his students were dying?_

He’d been so foolish before, thinking that outstanding shinobi like Minato could make the world a better place. Obito knows the truth now. The world is a cruel, broken one, and there is no fixing it. He’ll burn it all down instead to create a better world, a perfect world, one where Rin and Kakashi will always be by his side. 

And his former sensei is a representation of everything that’s wrong with this world. A famed war hero, but one that is ultimately a helpless pawn in the grand scheme of things. So earnest in his beliefs, but utterly ineffectual when it comes to protecting the ones in his care. 

Despite his feelings of hostility, Obito allows Minato and the others to pass unhindered. At this point, they are the lesser of all the evils. He can trust, if nothing else, that Konoha won’t desecrate his teammates' bodies. So Obito watches as the three separate Rin and Kakashi before sealing them into storage scrolls. All the while, he can see how Minato struggles to hide his expression of despair.

Obito supposes that this is the only reason he isn’t interfering with their efforts, the fact that Minato had at the very least cared for Rin and Kakashi. They’ll be treated respectfully in his hands while the Kiri shinobi are the reason why his teammates are gone in the first place. 

Before finally heading on their way, Minato had gently opened Kakashi’s left eye to confirm that the Sharingan was still there. This was yet another reason behind Obito’s refusal to reclaim the eye. Had either Kiri or Konoha found the dōjutsu to be missing, it would’ve sparked accusations and investigations that he just can’t afford right now. 

Although Obito presumes that Kiri will certainly be asking questions now after what he’s done to their shinobi. He almost feels smug at the thought of their baffled reactions. Once they learn of the retrieval team’s fate, Kiri will be bound to send more in search of answers. 

And Obito will be waiting for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little insight into Obito's mind after experiencing the shock of Rin's and Kakashi's deaths.


	2. In an endless drone- Jiraiya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jiraiya has a discussion with Minato in the midst of their plans to oust Danzō.

Jiraiya has just finished having a rather nice dinner at Minato and Kushina’s place when he decides on a whim to bring up the topic. 

“So,” he begins in a conversational tone. “Have the two of you made plans to start bringing any little ones into the world yet?”

The question was a lighthearted one, and Jiraiya had predicted he would receive a half-joking reply. What he doesn’t expect is for Minato’s entire form to stiffen as if he’s been spotted by a deadly enemy. Nor does he expect for such a listless response to come from his student.

“No, there are no plans,” Minato answers in a flat, hollow voice that rings with finality.

Behind Minato’s back, Kushina gives Jiraiya a sad smile and shakes her head surreptitiously. _Oh, I see._

The hint received, Jiraiya is preparing to change the topic completely when he sees a thoughtful look flash over Kushina’s face. He’s not entirely sure what she’s considering, but she suddenly speaks up animatedly before he can do or say anything else.

“You know, I think I’m going to go visit Mikoto. She keeps telling me about how we should do something fun, and I think tonight will be a good time. So, I’ll leave the two of you to it. Bye! ”

A few seconds later, she’s gone. 

This leaves Jiraiya alone in the room with Minato who is pointedly not making eye contact with him. His former student looks shaken, more so than he can every remember seeing before. Then again, that’s not saying much. He can barely remember a time when Minato wasn’t self-assured, it was one of his defining traits. Either way, Jiraiya supposes it’s up to him to break the silence. Judging by Minato’s current expression, he seems content with never speaking again. 

“This has to do with your students, doesn’t it?” 

Minato takes a deep breath, “I just don’t deserve to have another person’s life put in my hands, much less a helpless child’s!” His voice, which had started off as barely audible, had risen to almost a shout by the end of the sentence. 

Jiraiya raises his eyebrows. “Well you still have a family, don’t you? Being married to Kushina and all.”

His former student shakes his head wearily. “That’s different. I mean, Kushina is my wife, yes. But she’s still an independent person who can take care of herself. She’s an incredibly skilled jōnin and the jinchūriki of the Nine Tails, so she hardly needs me to look after her.

Kushina doesn’t actually _need_ me for anything. But a child, a child is going to depend on me to care, nurture, and guide. I can’t be trusted with those responsibilities. I thought I was doing so well with them before. And look how it turned out…”

At that, Minato slumps down onto a chair and buries his face in his hands.

“I just can’t do it.”

This is the most emotional Jiraiya has seen him since the war ended. Struck by a sudden revelation, he realizes there’s a good chance that Minato hasn’t even spoken to anyone about this in depth. Obviously, he had to have mentioned his misgivings about having children to Kushina beforehand. But he remembers Minato’s terse answer to his joking question earlier. Those were certainly not the words of a man who has found closure. 

Maybe, Jiraiya can convince Minato to talk this out with him. He’ll have to do it extremely carefully. If he pokes too hard, Minato might shut down completely. But then again, being abrupt might encourage him to air out his feelings in a way he wouldn’t have if he were calm. 

“Minato, I understand that losing your students is an undeniably tragic-“ 

“I didn’t just lose them, I might as well have cast them away myself!” 

After the words leave his mouth, Minato’s head snaps up to meet Jiraiya’s eyes. His former student seems almost shocked by his own outburst, his eyes darting around the room as if he’s planning his escape. But he shakes his head, more vigorously this time, and continues. 

“I wasn’t with them in the end when they all needed me the most. And… and you weren’t there when I found them. I honestly think not seeing what happened to Obito was a mercy because there’s no way I can ever forget seeing Rin and Kakashi like that. Not a day goes by where I’m not reminded of all the mistakes I made with the three of them.” 

It seems as if the floodgates have broken now because Minato doesn’t seem to be capable of stopping himself from talking. Accordingly, Jiraiya decides it’s best to let him speak uninterrupted for now. After all, there’s a lot of things that Minato needs to get off of his chest. 

“You know, when I found Rin and Kakashi, they were still holding each other’s hands. And I had to _break_ their hands and pry their fingers apart. It was the only way that we would’ve been able to seal them away into storage scrolls. Separating them from each other was incredibly difficult then, and that stuck in the back of my mind for a while. My knowledge of human anatomy isn’t exactly comprehensive, but I still found that strange. Typically, the muscles in one’s body don’t start to significantly stiffen until around eight hours after death, and I didn’t think the two of them had been out there for that long. 

So, I looked it up. 

Rigidity after death sets in much more quickly for children, or people with low muscle mass or little body fat. Physical exertion before death also accelerates the process. Evidence had suggested that Rin and Kakashi were surrounded by Kiri nin before the Three Tails broke free. Which means they were probably fighting and running for their lives then. They must have been exhausted. So that’s why, though I don’t know why I needed to know. It’s not like finding all this out made any of it better. It’s not like anything could make this better…” 

In the dimming light of the room, Minato’s eyes look almost wild with grief. 

“And Obito, what was I thinking, sending you out there into a warzone? You didn’t deserve that, none of you did.” 

Gone is the implacable Hokage from the council meeting who stood steadfast against all protests and shot down every heated argument raised against his reforms. Now Jiraiya just sees a devastated young man whose grief is still very much raw, one who detests himself so much that he can’t even begin to mourn. 

Jiraiya can tell that Minato is not ready to let go of his sorrow at this point in time. But maybe he can take the first step in convincing his former student that he isn’t to blame. 

“Can I say something?”

Minato doesn’t outwardly respond, instead choosing to focus on his now shaking hands. But, Jiraiya knows him well enough to tell that he’s listening.

“As a sensei, it’s true that you hold responsibility for your students. But no one can predict the future. Obito, Rin, and Kakashi grew up during a war and understood the risks of being a shinobi then. And if you’re second-guessing yourself and thinking that you should’ve taught them better, remember that they were still autonomous people. Ultimately, the paths and decisions they took are their own. What happened to them, while heartbreaking, is not on you.” 

Jiraiya hopes that even a fraction of his words will make it through to Minato who once again is holding his head in his hands. 

“It wasn’t your fault,” he adds for emphasis. 

Minato only looks at the ground. 

“You think if I start telling myself that, I’ll be able to believe it one day?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another exploration into Minato’s mental state following the end of the war. Jiraiya's just hoping he can get him to ease up on the self-hatred.


	3. The murmur of property- Mikoto

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even with the war over and Danzō gone, Mikoto can’t help but worry about the future of her eldest son

It’s commonplace to fret over your children, but Mikoto is fairly certain that her concerns regarding Itachi are far more consequential than most. 

Her eldest son is barely seven years old, but he’s shockingly advanced for his age. Itachi is highly intelligent and mature in a way that makes him seem unchildlike to many. He’s a kind of prodigy that hasn’t been seen since Kakashi Hatake, one that’s skilled enough to put adult shinobi to shame. 

If it weren’t for the Yondaime’s post-war reforms, Itachi would’ve undoubtedly been a shinobi by now. But these new rules mandate that every Academy student reach the age of twelve before graduating. Under normal circumstances, Mikoto would’ve welcomed these new requirements. Children should be allowed to be children. Still, she worries that this won’t be enough for her son. 

Itachi is young, but he’s old enough to have known war. And Mikoto fears that he may have witnessed too much of the bloodshed for him to truly benefit from the reforms. Will delaying graduation do him any good if it just makes him a troubled genius unable to relate to the hordes of carefree children around him? Maybe the war’s impact on her son is irreversible, forcing him to grow up far too soon. Maybe allowing him to become a shinobi at the age of six would’ve actually been the kinder option. 

Mikoto shares her misgivings with Kushina one afternoon as the latter coos over the two-year-old Sasuke toddling happily around the room. Itachi is out training for the day, so Mikoto doesn’t have to be afraid that he’ll overhear her talking about him. 

“I’m worried that maybe he was born in the wrong era, that maybe someone like him wasn’t meant to live in a time of peace.”

Kushina frowns in thought, looking up from Sasuke. 

“Well, what does he want? That’d be a good start. Still, you should probably take that with a grain of salt. He’s advanced yes, but he’s only seven. He’s not going to know everything there is about the world yet. And I know as the clan heir, some paths will not even be an option for him.”

Mikoto gives a little shrug before replying. “Itachi says he just wants to be a great shinobi, but it’s hard to tell if he’s only saying that because it’s what his father wants to hear. Fugaku loves his sons, but he has a tendency to create these visions of what he thinks they should be. Sometimes, I think he’s forgetting to see them for who they actually are.”

Her expression grows even more troubled as she continues.

“Lately, he’s gotten a lot better about it though. After that whole scandal with Danzō, it really opened his eyes to how the rest of the village regards the Uchiha. We knew that Konoha was never the warmest to us, but to think that Danzō might’ve turned everyone against us is chilling. I mean, he would’ve wiped us all out, and he might’ve gotten away with it. That was a very humbling lesson for everyone.” 

At that, Mikoto briefly represses a shudder at the thought. 

“So Fugaku has been trying to make the clan appear less militant by opening up the Military Police Force and recruiting shinobi from outside the clan. Even so, he was still a little upset by the minimum graduation age. He thinks it’s just holding Itachi back and getting in the way of his future, like he’s destined to be some great war hero. I’m just not sure what’s best for Itachi though. He so strong, but at heart, I feel he’s really quite gentle. As much as he excels at it, I don’t think he likes to fight at all,” Mikoto finishes, now wringing her hands nervously.

Kushina takes all this in, absentmindedly tracking Sasuke’s cheerful trajectory around the room as she considers the issue at hand. 

“Hmm,” she finally responds. “Basically, you’re worried that Itachi will be pigeonholed into a role that he hates because of his skillset. At the same time, you’re concerned that there may not be anything else for him. Is that right?”

Mikoto only gives a morose nod in reply.

“Well…” Kushina begins pensively. “What if there were some other options out there?”

“What do you mean by that? Itachi can’t take on a civilian job, they’d never allow it. It would be considered highly improper for a clan heir.” 

Kushina shakes her head animatedly. “I know, I know! It’s just that fighting and killing aren’t all there is to being a shinobi. Our role is to serve the village, and there’s plenty of ways that can be done.”

Mikoto’s eyes widen in alarm “Like in Torture and Interrogation? That might even be worse for Itachi!”

“No, no, no!” Kushina is quick to reassure her. “A different sector of the Intelligence Division at the very least, but I was thinking that the research facility or the hospital might be a good place for him. Minato was telling me the other day that they’re trying to implement programs for Academy students who wish to pursue noncombatant roles. Now that the war’s over, there’s no need to keep churning out troops of frontline fighters anymore. 

And I think either of those would be respectable enough options, even for a clan heir. Tsunade has essentially taken over the hospital at this point, and Orochimaru’s research department is gaining a reputation for being highly selective in who’s allowed to join. Those two are shinobi legends after all.”

Mikoto muses upon these new lines of thought. “A scientist or a medical nin? Even if there is some level of prestige there, I still can’t see Fugaku being too pleased about that.”

Despite her reservations, Kushina is undeterred. “Maybe you can talk him around then. Knowledge and cunning are vital, and no one thinks Tsunade is any less powerful just because she happens to be a medic. That’s probably also because I think the last person who questioned her strength is currently missing his spine.” 

That… that much is true. Intelligence is lauded in a shinobi while Tsunade is widely regarded as the continent’s strongest kunoichi as well as a medical nin without parallel. And although the rumors about Orochimaru are still somewhat persistent and disconcerting, there’s no question that his cooperation was instrumental in deposing Danzō. The Uchiha owe him a debt for that, one that is none too small. 

As an afterthought, Kushina adds “I think it would still be better than making Itachi do something that he can’t stand. If you try and lock away the parts that make up who you are, you’re only going to end up destroying yourself from the inside.”

 _I don’t want that to happen to him,_ Mikoto thinks resolutely. 

“Just let me ask around, I’m sure that something can be arranged.”

“Okay,” Mikoto allows doubtfully. She not entirely sure why she feels so apprehensive when this may be a solution here. However, it turns out that her fears are unfounded. Fugaku certainly hadn’t been thrilled about the idea, but he’d agreed that it couldn’t hurt for Itachi to explore his options in the time before he would be permitted to graduate. 

And around a week later, Kushina returns cackling in amusement and bearing the message that Itachi has been approved for a prospective role as a medical trainee at the hospital. Apparently, the decision over which department Itachi would join had ultimately culminated in a rather undignified and very one-sided scuffle between Tsunade and Orochimaru.

Mikoto smiles at this, feeling her heart grow lighter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With Minato’s reforms, Konoha has expanded its array of non-combatant roles. Luckily, this happens just in time for Itachi who is saved from the prospect of being fast-tracked into Anbu.


	4. The floorboards underfoot- Tenzō

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenzō adjusts to life in Konoha.

Apparently, his name is Tenzō. He’s still not entirely sure how he feels about it, but he thinks he likes it. 

For a while, no one had known what to call him. He’d lain in a bed at first, surrounded by people in white who were almost always bustling about and checking on him. After realizing that he had no prior memories, the doctors were hesitant to assign him with one. They told him that somebody was going to look through records to see if they could find out who he was. So for the time being, they had called him friendly terms like “son,” “child,” and “kid” as they carefully monitored his health and status. 

The pale man who looks more like a snake, the one he had seen from the inside of the test tube, had also come in to see him a few times. Orochimaru was his name, and he happened to be the one who had put him inside the tube in the first place. 

The very first visit, there were a group of people in cloaks and animal masks with him. He would later learn that those were Anbu, the elite shinobi who engaged in covert operations for the village. Either way, he still found them eerie. Although they weren’t nearly as alarming as Orochimaru was. He hadn’t done anything threatening at all while he was there, but it was the utterly disinterested way he conducted himself that was truly unnerving. He seemed to view living, breathing people the same way one normally regards the ground underneath him. Orochimaru had glanced at him at first but then addressed the attending medic, stating offhandedly that the visit was still a waste of everyone’s time. 

“I didn’t bother memorizing precise details about the subjects of an experiment that I believed to be a failure,” he had remarked coolly. “I said it before, I’ll need to check my records in order to actually find anything concrete.” And with that, Orochimaru had swept out of the room with the Anbu trailing after him. 

Around a week later, one of the lead medics relays the news that Orochimaru had stopped by while he was still asleep. Inwardly, he’s thankful that he didn’t have to face the unsettling man again. Whenever he sees Orochimaru, he can’t help but think about being trapped in that tube and recalling how helpless he felt then. 

He remembers seeing the others in the lab, children like him also confined and powerless in their own tubes. Then the other children started to waste away, the light fading from their eyes. One by one, until he was the only one left. And then Orochimaru had stopped coming back to the lab, leaving him truly alone.

He doesn’t know how long he had stared at their dead bodies, still suspended in the light green liquid of the test tube. He remembers hoping in vain that somebody, anybody would come for him. But there was no one coming to save him. And he was going to be next. He didn’t want to be next though, he had to get out. 

_He had to get out._

And that’s the last thing he could recall before he woke up in the hospital, tucked carefully into the white sheets of a bed with doctors flitting around the bright room.

But disregarding that for now, Orochimaru had in fact called in with some interesting information. During the perusal of his experiment notes, he’d discovered the records of a subject named Tenzō, a boy originally from the Iburi clan. The age and physical description listed did indeed match his, so there was a possibility that it was his true identity.

Accordingly, the medics had asked him if he would like to be addressed as Tenzō from thereon. And to find out for certain, they still intended to later arrange a visit to the Iburi clan once he was well enough to travel outside the village. In all honesty, a part of him doubts that he’s actually that Tenzō. But he decides to take the name anyway, using it makes him feel like he might actually belong somewhere. 

From that point on, there was a great deal of waiting around in his hospital room. While the doctors assured him that he was physically healthy, they were still concerned about the state of his immune system. With all that time he spent in the lab, they’re not sure if his body can adequately fight off illnesses at the moment. So, they’ve been running a list of tests to make sure. 

It’s during this time that Tenzō receives another visitor in addition to his regular doctors and Orochimaru. It’s a woman with blonde hair, brown eyes, and a purple diamond in the middle of her forehead. A troubled look crosses over her face when she walks into his room. She opens her mouth as if she wanted to say something but closes it, shaking her head instead. Tenzō debates over whether or not to speak up himself, but she’s fled the room before he can even make a decision. 

A few days later, the blonde woman returns. To Tenzō’s great surprise, she’s dragging a very displeased Orochimaru behind her. She shoves him in front of the foot of Tenzō’s bed and very pointedly says, “Orochimaru has something he would like to say to you.”

Orochimaru who still looks extremely unimpressed recites, “My main intention was not to deliberately cause you distress. It was simply an unavoidable side effect of the experiment I was conducting. Had I realized you were still alive, I would not have left you in the laboratory.” 

Tenzō blinks in surprise.

That was evidently not what the blonde woman wanted to hear as she responded by throwing a clipboard in Orochimaru’s direction with startling speed. He had barely managed to dodge in time, the clipboard splintering to pieces against the tiles as he exited the room in a hurry. 

Funnily enough, even if the scarily strong woman hadn’t appreciated Orochimaru’s words, they did actually make Tenzō feel a little bit better. As horrifying as his experience as a test subject was, it was somewhat of a relief to know that Orochimaru hadn’t done it to him or the others out of malice. It hadn’t been anything personal. 

Tenzō is now staying with the blonde woman. Her name is Tsunade, and he finds out that she is an extraordinary medical nin famed for her strength. He also learns very quickly that she’s quite fond of drinking and gambling. Tsunade also has a very short temper although her anger is never actually directed at him. Tsunade’s student, Shizune, lives with them as well. Shizune, who is around five years older than him, is dependable and rational if a little high strung. Both though have a tendency to fuss over his well-being. 

But it’s nice to feel cared for. And sure, the doctors in the hospital were kind and attentive. But medics don’t care for you in the way that the people you live with care for you, the way a family cares for you. 

Tenzō has been living with the two of them for a few weeks when Tsunade mentions that she has something important to tell him. He feels unease build in his stomach at her words. Is she going to ask him to leave? 

But instead, Tsunade discloses that he possesses an exceedingly rare kekkei genkai as a result of Orochimaru’s experimentation. This power is the Mokuton, a nature transformation that allows the user to create wood and other forms of vegetation. Apparently when Orochimaru and the Anbu found him in the abandoned lab, he had manifested the Mokuton in his attempt to escape from the test tube. 

Tsunade informs him that the last shinobi to possess the ability had been her grandfather, the Shodai. Because of this, she intends to guide him once he starts learning how to use his ability. As Tsunade finishes speaking, she looks at him with concern as if she’s unsure how he’ll take the information. And even though this is a massive shock, Tenzō couldn’t be happier.

Because he's still not sure who he is, but it feels like he’s in a place where he belongs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Realizing that Tenzō would, for good reason, be quite leery of Orochimaru, Tsunade came up with a sort of plan. Basically, the idea was for Tenzō to be exposed to Orochimaru’s weirdness in small, but regular doses. It didn't go the way she thought it would, but it's worked for the most part.


	5. The venting furnace- Shizune

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shizune's perspective on all the changes in her life.

A part of Shizune had thought they would never come back to Konoha.

And don’t get her wrong, Shizune would stand with Tsunade until the end of time itself. Still, she had never allowed herself to hope that one day they might return home. She would’ve expected Tonton to grow wings and start flying first. Because Tsunade’s wanderings seemed like they would be endless, like she was searching in vain for something that was not out there. But now that Shizune thinks about it, maybe that’s what was actually happening. Maybe that’s why Tsunade has finally changed her mind.

That or her mentor’s former teammates managed to irritate her into going back to Konoha. Shizune would have no trouble believing that. Everyone knows that shinobi tend to develop various quirks and eccentricities, especially the longer they survive. But, Jiraiya and Orochimaru are… very very strange. It’s bewildering how a shinobi as clever as Jiraiya can also turn into such a hopelessly perverted fool at the drop of a hat. On the other hand, there’s Orochimaru who is undeniably a genius in his own right. But at the same time, it’s almost as if his intelligence has reached a level so high that he forgets he’s still supposed to be a human being. 

It makes Shizune wonder what the Sannin must have been like as children all on the same genin team. Privately, she considers it a miracle that they hadn’t murdered each other out of frustration back then. Because even now, Shizune feels that the three are best described as dysfunctional yet highly effective. Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade are somehow birds of a feather while still managing to be almost opposites in how different they are from each other.

Before Jiraiya and Orochimaru had found them in the bar, Shizune had only been worried about Tsunade drinking herself into oblivion and tossing away all their money over some pointless little game. After the two showed up though, she was just hoping that the building would remain standing. While Shizune was still apprehensive, a part of her was secretly relieved that Tsunade had elected to send her away while the three of them spoke. It had been a while since her teacher had last seen her teammates. That meant the conversation was likely to get very personal, especially if the other two planned to dig up old memories.

Yet, the three had evidently managed to get through their conversation with minimal casualties. When Tsunade came back to retrieve her, Shizune was shocked to find that the bar was still in one piece, nobody was screaming, and nothing was on fire. In fact, the only thing she noticed to be out of the ordinary was that all three of them smelled faintly of sake.

The trek back to the village had been a fairly uneventful one if you ignored Jiraiya’s antics. Although Tsunade had swiftly put an end to that by tossing him headfirst into a tree after he tried to sneak off to a nearby bathhouse yet again. 

The response had been a little more aggressive than one would normally expect from Tsunade, but Shizune can tell that she’s growing more and more uneasy as they draw closer to the village. Shortly before the four of them had arrived in Konoha, Tsunade had quietly pulled her aside. Her teacher had wanted to let her know that she was only intending to stay in the village for a few days at first. And while Shizune is a little weary of the constant travel, she understands. Tsunade was taking significant steps, so it was crucial for her to take as much time as she needed. 

Pain like the kind Tsunade carries isn’t lost overnight. Rather, it’s a sense of anguish that, in the best case scenario, will eventually come to hurt less over time. Losing a loved one is awful. But losing a loved one and believing that you’re the one to blame is a feeling that cuts deep inside. That kind of experience changes a person irreversibly. It can make one of Konoha’s Legendary Sannin feel worthless. It can lead the world’s greatest medical nin to fear the sight of blood. 

Either way, Shizune will be there for her. 

Although, it seems like she was bracing herself for nothing. Because the fifth day that the two spent in Konoha was also the day that Tsunade dropped by the hospital for an unofficial inspection of sorts. It was only supposed to be a way for her to “check and see how things were going.” To put it mildly, Shizune does not envy the staff one bit. 

To be fair, it’s not as though the hospital is an absolute mess with its management in shambles. Objectively, it’s doing fine. It’s still probably the most advanced hospital in a shinobi village. But at the same time, Konoha is the village that produced Tsunade, the most talented medical nin on the continent. They really should have had higher standards. It might’ve saved them from her wrath in the end.

So, it seems like they’ll be staying in Konoha for a little while longer. You can’t overhaul a hospital overnight either. And judging by her rants, there’s a lot that Tsunade plans to do. She may have stopped healing due to her aversion to blood, but that hardly means that Tsunade has fallen behind the curve when it comes to medicine. And that means that Shizune becomes quite busy, helping to administer all of the reforms and updated standards.

Not long afterwards, Shizune finds out about Tenzō who is one of the main reasons why Tsunade even decided to return to the village. Apparently, the boy had been a human subject in one of Orochimaru’s experiments and emerged as the only survivor. As for the experiment itself, it had been testing to see if the Mokuton could be imparted into living subjects. And that turn of events had left Tenzō, a boy with no memory of his past, a child who had spent much of his life in a test tube, and the first person since the Shodai to possess the Mokuton, very much alone in the village. 

Tsunade ends up surprising everyone by taking Tenzō in. But with everything that Tenzō has been through, Shizune feels it makes sense to have him stay with two medics, especially one who’s knowledgeable about the Mokuton. And Shizune doesn’t mind at all, it’s just been her, Tsunade, and Tonton for so long. She’s never had a little brother before, and Tenzō makes for a polite if rather serious sibling. They want him to have a chance at being a child though, so she and Tsunade are trying to encourage him to lighten up a little. They’ve had... limited success.

The three of them certainly make for an odd family unit, especially because Jiraiya and Orochimaru tend to hover around as well. Orochimaru, in particular, is interested in Tenzō’s development as a successful experiment subject. Although he learns to tone down his curiosity as Tsunade’s hand will start to twitch towards the nearest heavy object whenever he starts talking about Tenzō like he’s an inanimate object again. 

On the other hand, Jiraiya seems to consider himself an uncle of sorts to Tenzō. While the sentiment is greatly appreciated, Shizune and Tsunade still try to limit Jiraiya’s presence around their home. Tenzō is still quite young, and neither of them wants Jiraiya’s tendencies to rub off on him. But Jiraiya soon directs his attentions to aiding the Yondaime in enacting his own reforms. And after enough time has passed, Orochimaru has stopped creeping Tenzō out nearly as much. 

In Konoha, Shizune still finds herself fretting over daily life. Some things are never going to change. But instead of worrying about debt collectors, bar fights, and losing all their money, she’s fussing over hospital procedures and Tenzō accidentally growing tree branches through the walls of their home. Nothing has turned out the way that Shizune thought it would, but she can’t find it in herself to complain.

After all, Tsunade has never seemed so at peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone gets a chance to settle down a bit, and Shizune's just happy that Tsunade has found direction in her life.


	6. Of unanswered silence- Rin and Kakashi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the Pure Land, Rin and Kakashi watch Obito carry out his plans.

Rin reaches out to clutch Kakashi’s hand. Staring straight ahead, his only reaction is to enclose his fingers around her own. Kakashi’s face remains impassive, but Rin can tell that he feels just as troubled as she does

The Pure Land was supposed to be a place where the departed are finally at peace, where those who have passed on can reunite with their loved ones and watch over the ones still living. Even so, Rin doesn’t think she’s ever felt this anxious in life. 

Next to her, Kakashi shakes his head in resigned disbelief. Neither of them say anything, but they know that the other feels the same way. 

Because what they are seeing is utterly incomprehensible.

Shortly after arriving in the Pure Land, Rin and Kakashi were forced to face an unfortunate truth. Namely, that Obito was not there. 

In any other circumstance, that should’ve been a good thing. Because it would’ve entailed that Obito was alive, that he hadn’t died pitifully young like Rin and Kakashi had. However, it also means that Obito hadn’t died on the mission to Kannabi Bridge, that he wasn’t afforded the mercy of a quick death, and that Rin and Kakashi had left their teammate alone and helpless underneath the rocks. 

Who knows how long Obito was trapped there, alone and half-blind while the stones slowly compressed his already crushed body? Who knows how long he lay there waiting to die before he was finally freed?

Rin’s heart aches at the thought of Obito experiencing such agony and torment. And all the while, she and Kakashi had been mourning him in Konoha without the slightest clue that he was still alive. Maybe there was a way that she and Kakashi could’ve freed him back them. Maybe there had been an option that wouldn’t have left him suffering for so long. 

Maybe there was a choice that wouldn’t have led to this, a scenario in which they watch Obito break down over her and Kakashi’s lifeless forms. Rin believes that she would’ve done anything to prevent a future where their heartbroken sensei leaves with their dead bodies while Obito seethes in contempt from the shadows. She knows Kakashi feels the same.

_Please Obito, go with sensei. Let him know you’re there._

They begged and pleaded as if there were a way for Obito to hear them. But he had returned to the cave that was filled with nothing but poisonous lies and the false hopes of creating a supposedly perfect future. Only the “future” he dreams of is anything but. It would be a desolate prison instead, one where you wouldn’t even be able to see the bars trapping you inside. And Rin knows that despite all the pain and struggles of life, a world without free will is not the answer. 

Obito had always been one to care deeply for others, but Rin is nevertheless stunned by the lines that he’s willing to cross. She and Kakashi watch as Obito resolutely follows the orders of Madara Uchiha, Konoha’s first missing nin and a man who for all intents and purposes should be dead. They see Obito later assume Madara’s identity, still committed to the plan. All the while, they hope desperately that their former teammate will come to his senses. 

_Obito, please go back to Konoha. You don’t have to do this._

Rin hates herself for even thinking this, but a part of her can’t help but wish that Obito had died during their mission to Kannabi Bridge. That way, he’d at least be with them now. That way, he wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone else either. 

________________________

Kakashi can hardly believe his eyes. 

To think that Obito would go this far is... just inconceivable. Who could have guessed that such an earnest and good-hearted person was capable of this? How could anyone have predicted that such hatred and callousness existed inside Obito?

After reconciling with his father, Kakashi had intently awaited the moment where he could see Obito again. After all, there was so much that Kakashi wanted to tell him, so much that he wanted to thank him for. Obito was the one who had convinced him that his uncaring and indifferent attitude was misguided and wrong. It had been Obito who had insisted that Kakashi’s father was not the disgrace that the village painted him out to be.

When Kakashi lost his left eye, Obito had saved him from getting crushed to death during the cave in. He had pushed him out of the way without hesitation, sacrificing his own life for Kakashi’s. And when he lay pinned underneath tons of rocks, he hadn’t blamed Kakashi at all for his role in the entire fiasco. Instead, Obito entrusted him with an extremely personal and valuable gift, his newly awakened Sharingan. Suffice it to say, Kakashi owed Obito a great deal.

However, that sense of anticipation had diminished once he realized that reuniting with Obito would take much longer than he’d initially thought. Because he and Rin were forced to face the fact that the teammate who they had believed was the first to die was actually the only one who remained living. But worse was finding out what Obito had been up to.

Kakashi sometimes thinks that ignorance would’ve been preferable. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have to think about how Obito has dedicated himself to the delusions of an ancient traitor. If that were the case, he and Rin wouldn’t be watching Obito tear the world apart in an attempt to create an empty illusion of happiness. 

Kakashi and Rin can only bear witness to Obito’s twisted plans. They watch him steadily manipulate an organization that only wanted peace into a deadly terrorist group. They observe as their former teammate wreaks havoc in Kiri, using a genjutsu to take control of the Mizukage. They see Obito don another mask and play the fool to a ridiculous extent, all the while altering the circumstances to suit his needs. 

But Kakashi knows in his heart that this isn’t Obito. Because the Obito that Kakashi knew died underneath the rocks that day. 

Kakashi understands how dreadful the biting anger and acute pain of loss truly feels. And he knows that this is Obito’s method of lashing out at the world, but he’s also bringing harm to countless others in the process. 

Rin buries her face in her hands, letting out a muffled sob. Meanwhile, Kakashi clenches his fists at his sides, his fingernails digging into his palms. If he were still alive, he’s sure that his hands would’ve been bleeding.

The worst part is watching and knowing that there is nothing that he and Rin can do about it. 

_Obito, please stop._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something a little more depressing this time.


	7. Light peering through- Itachi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Itachi works a later shift than usual.

If Itachi can finish documenting the rest of these samples in the next half hour, then he’ll still have enough time to take Sasuke to dinner this evening. Much longer and it’ll be too late for that. It’s a weekday, and Mother and Father don’t like for Sasuke to be out at night when he has to be at the Academy the next morning. So Itachi needs to wrap this up quickly, especially because he has to file his notes at the hospital before he heads home.

Normally, Itachi would already be at the hospital. However, he’s spent the entire day in the research facility instead, making use of its cutting edge technology. It’s all part of a side project that Tsunade has assigned him. For the past few months, Itachi has been looking into the various factors that affect ocular health, especially in relation to dōjutsu like the Sharingan. The lab has a much greater variety of specialized equipment so once a week, he’ll take a break from his rounds at the hospital and join Orochimaru in the research facility. 

While he greatly enjoys his work at the hospital, research at the lab does have its benefits. It’s much less crowded, for one, and a much quieter environment too. The facility becomes a little reprieve for him, one where he can search for breakthroughs that can improve the lives of his patients. Here, Itachi has a little more autonomy as well as the discretion to set his own pace. 

And one of Orochimaru’s assistants is usually there to offer him a pair of hands if needed. The usual one, Kabuto, is a little strange to say the least. Itachi isn’t sure where Orochimaru found him, although Kabuto had mentioned that he learned medical ninjutsu at the orphanage run by his adoptive mother. That still doesn’t quite explain how exactly Kabuto caught Orochimaru’s attention.

Although, Itachi reasons that it could’ve just been Orochimaru’s attempt to get a medic on his staff before Tsunade could recruit them all. Either way, Kabuto tends to stick to Orochimaru’s side like a burr. Under normal circumstances, the habit would’ve probably irritated the snake Sannin to no end. But it’s likely a testament to Kabuto’s intelligence and talent that Orochimaru doesn’t actually seem to mind. Most of the shinobi who work in the research facility are of a similar type anyway, intellectual yet very unusual. Still, all of them here are conducting experiments and research that will benefit Konoha. 

In fact, Itachi’s research project is the main reason why the Uchiha clan elders have finally stopped complaining about him becoming a medic. Even though Tsunade’s return to the village had significantly elevated the status of medical nin, most of the clan seemed to disapprove of his entry into the medic trainee program. 

Itachi was personally quite pleased with the prospect back then. The possibility of healing and looking after people was much more appealing to him than breaking bodies and ending lives. And while Father had been somewhat reluctant, he still granted his approval. Itachi suspects that Mother played no small role in convincing him. From there, the rest of the clan could whisper as much as they wanted, but it didn’t change the fact that they weren’t the ones with the authority to decide. 

So, Itachi had joined the trainee program. In the program, Itachi and the other students who were pursuing noncombatant roles were enrolled an alternate series of courses during their final year at the Academy. There had been three main tracks for trainees to pursue depending on their prospective career: one for medics, one for research scientists, and one for intelligence specialists. 

As a medical trainee, Itachi was required to take classes on human biology, chakra theory, diseases, and medicine in addition to spending several hours every week shadowing various doctors at the hospital. After graduation, all the trainees had been arranged into their own three-man genin teams that were each supervised by a temporary jōnin-sensei. 

From there, the teams would run D-rank and lower-level C-rank missions in order to develop their ability to collaborate and work together as a team. In the meantime, the jōnin was also assessing and refining their combat skills. Even though none of the trainees were expected to experience direct combat, Konoha still wanted its shinobi to be able to defend themselves in times of emergency. 

Once the sensei had ascertained that all the genin had reached the necessary objectives, the team would be dissolved. After that, the trainees would officially be a member of their organization, whether that was the hospital, the research facility, or the Intelligence Division. 

Throughout the entire process, the hospital had regarded Itachi as a highly promising candidate. This was likely one of the main factors that had kept most of the clan elders’ ire at bay. Although they did back off once Itachi was promoted to chūnin just six months after starting work at the hospital. The title had been granted after a particularly harrowing childbirth during which he’d also awakened his Sharingan.

The birth that Itachi had been observing was supposed to be a routine delivery. However multiple complications had unexpectedly presented themselves during the procedure. In the midst of the immediate chaos, Itachi and the other trainee present had initially believed that the woman and her child were going to die on the operating table. While the other trainee fainted from shock, Itachi’s Sharingan had activated for the first time. Scanning the delivery room in barely hidden panic, he realized that his newly awakened dōjutsu could pinpoint key details that the doctors were unable to perceive. 

With his input, the attending medics were able to stop the bleeding and save both the mother and infant with no lasting side effects. The head medic had been impressed by Itachi’s quick thinking and composure, promoting him on the spot. The clan, seeing that Itachi still had opportunities for advancement, were much less vocal in their complaints after that. And even now, the mother from that delivery still sends Itachi a note thanking him every year on her daughter’s birthday 

However, it had been the research project that had convinced the elders. Two years after Itachi had officially begun working at the hospital, Tsunade had approached him with the proposal for the research project that he’s currently conducting. Given that the village of Konoha was home to two of the Three Great Dōjutsus, she felt it would be a prudent study to undertake. 

The rest of the Uchiha were quite open to the idea. In spite of the clan’s extensive history, there was still shockingly little concrete information about Sharingan itself. The elders had even provided a number of preserved eyes for Itachi to use as samples in his experiments. 

Currently, Itachi has been comparing the Sharingan with the eyes of Uchiha who had never activated their Sharingan and the eyes of non-Uchiha. Itachi has been exposing the eyes to chakra, the Mystical Palm Technique, electrical signals, and more in hopes of uncovering a pattern. If all goes well, he might be able to isolate the precise causes of ocular degradation. And with that information, techniques for prevention, treatments to alleviate symptoms, or even methods of reversing the damage could be developed. 

Either way, it’s about time for him to wrap up for today. Now that he’s recorded the day’s results, he can go and drop them off at the hospital. Itachi has finished with time to spare, so he’ll definitely be able to treat Sasuke to dinner tonight. He’s thankful for that since Sasuke has been working hard in the Academy and deserves a break. In a few years, his little brother will be a shinobi himself. 

Itachi still remembers the time when Sasuke had wanted to be just like him. But his little brother appears to have changed his mind after he found out that Itachi was going to become a medic. While Sasuke certainly respects the profession, he seems to have realized that the role isn’t for him. Maybe he feels that he lacks the patience necessary. Or perhaps it’s just the thought of being around sick people.

And with that thought, Itachi chuckles to himself as he turns the lights off at his station on his way out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here, Itachi is not subjected to years and years of emotionally scarring missions.


	8. Of small complaints- Orochimaru

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following Danzō’s fall from power, Orochimaru finds life to be quite different.

It could be worse, Orochimaru supposes. Being closely monitored, allowing Anbu to inspect his lab on a regular basis, and providing regular reports of his activities to the Hokage are all commitments that are tiresome but ultimately tolerable. 

There were times where Orochimaru had envisioned leaving Konoha altogether so that no one could have any hold over him. There were times in which he imagined coming back to punish all who have wronged him. But those are only hypothetical scenarios now. Those ideas lost all chance of becoming a reality the second he agreed to the Yondaime’s proposal to unseat Danzō. 

Orochimaru had accepted leniency and an opportunity to rid himself of a dangerous foe in exchange for being tethered. After weighing the options, he’d chosen a certain future over true freedom. With the latter, the chance of imprisonment or execution was too great for his comfort. So for better or for worse, he will be remaining where he is for some time. 

Namikaze, at the very least, has proved that he’s not an incompetent leader. These kinds of restrictions sting less this way. And Orochimaru supposes that things will be less tedious given that both Jiraiya and Tsunade seem to be staying in Konoha. In addition, the preparations for the new research facility appear to be moving along at a satisfactory rate. 

But until everything is in place, Orochimaru is to focus on his current assignment. With Jiraiya’s support, he’s been tasked with decoding the multitude of Danzō’s records. This particular batch of files center on Root or more specifically, records of the elaborate schemes utilized to expand the organization’s numbers. 

Danzō had employed a variety of methods to pilfer talented shinobi. However, some approaches were more common than others. For the younger children, the elder would simply snatch them away into the night. Their families were left believing that their little ones had most likely died of exposure after tragically wandering off.

Although, it was slightly more difficult to bring in the older ones. The disappearance of a young child, while considered unfortunate, was generally not viewed with as much suspicion. A shinobi vanishing would raise far more questions however. So instead of kidnapping, Danzō would recruit. 

As a respected elder, he could emphasize the prestige of the organization and exhibit a facade of legitimacy. After they had joined, Danzō would typically fake their death. Sometimes it was during a mission, sometimes it was reported as a training accident. Either way, there would never be enough of a body left behind to accurately identify the initiate, only the testimony of other Root agents in disguise and possibly Danzō himself. 

And it had worked for so long because no one bothered looking for those who were seemingly confirmed to be dead. From there, the elder had free reign. Danzō would then administer a mix of conditioning, brainwashing, and control seals until he had the recruit’s undying loyalty. 

After a substantial amount of time spent perusing the files, Orochimaru has managed to compile a fairly comprehensive list of the various shinobi that Danzō has enlisted throughout the years. While it’s unlikely that all of the Root members will ever be positively identified, Orochimaru has been able to discover several of Danzō’s prospective recruits as well. Before the elder’s execution, there were a number of shinobi that he aimed to bring into Root. 

This is the main subject of the report that he will be delivering to the Hokage tonight. However, his audience will likely find that its content strikes a little too close to home. Because Danzō had evidently had his eye on Kakashi Hatake, the Yondaime’s own prodigy. 

Outside of the Hokage’s office, Orochimaru meets Jiraiya who is eyeing the door in trepidation. After his former teammate found out about the contents of this evening’s debriefing, he had insisted on being present too. 

And it goes as expected. The Yondaime is grim but unsurprised at hearing of Danzō’s means of recruitment. However, his eyes, which had been narrowed in concentration before, snap open in shock at hearing the name of his deceased student. 

“Do you have the files?” he asks sharply, sitting back in his chair forcefully. 

Orochimaru holds them up in reply. 

“Let me see them.” 

He hands them over. Next to him, Jiraiya shifts nervously. 

Namikaze’s hands shake as he reads over the section describing his former student as a “successful Sharingan transplant” and one that “could be used for contingency.” His jaw clenches once he reaches the passage stating that Hatake would’ve likely been receptive to joining once he had been “subjected to sufficient emotional trauma.” 

Jiraiya opens his mouth to speak, but the Yondaime beats him to it.

“So Danzō wanted Kakashi for Root?”

“Minato, I don’t think it’s advisable to dwell on these things…” Jiraiya begins.

But Namikaze continues as if he hadn’t even heard him. “And I probably would’ve let Danzō have him. I doubt I would’ve seen any sinister intentions there. Who knows, I might’ve encouraged him and said that it was a great honor to be invited. ”

The Hokage sighs, pressing the palms of his hands into his eyes. “Of course he would’ve been interested. You were exceptional, Kakashi. And that was even before Obito gave you his eye. Danzō probably couldn’t wait to get his hands on you.”

Jiraiya grimaces but doesn’t say anything. By this point, he seems to have decided to let Namikaze’s spiel run its course. 

“What do you think would’ve happened?” Minato addresses this question at the two Sannin, but Orochimaru can tell that the Hokage isn’t interested in their answer. “First, Kakashi joins Danzō’s secret organization. Then one day I get the news that he’s been tragically killed on a mission and that his murderer stole the Sharingan from him.” 

Namikaze laughs, and it’s possibly the most bitter sound that Orochimaru has ever heard. 

“It’s good to know that even if Kakashi had survived, I still would’ve found a way to let him down.” 

At this, Jiraiya finally decides to cut in. 

“Minato, it’s getting late, and you’ve been here all day. You should head home.”

And this is where Orochimaru will take his leave. He slips out the door as the other two start to argue, leaving the files and the summary of his findings on the desk. 

Some might’ve considered it rude to go without being dismissed, but Orochimaru can tell that the briefing is over. The subject of the night’s meeting had derailed approximately five minutes ago, and everything the Yondaime needs to know is detailed in the documents he left there anyway.

As Orochimaru walks away, he can hear the agitated voices filtering through the closed door. 

“You can’t tell me that there _isn’t_ a pattern of me failing him, of me failing all of them to be exact!”

“That’s beside the point. These things happen, you can’t possibly predict any of this!”

Namikaze obviously hasn’t come to terms with the deaths of his students, especially Hatake. Granted, he is more functional than most in his sorrow, given that he’s been a reasonably effective Hokage thus far. Otherwise, he’s seen the same thing with Tsunade, this refusal to forgive oneself. And Orochimaru has learned enough of human nature to know that grief is not something that can be shouted out of another person. It’s a lesson that Jiraiya seems to forget at times. 

The decision to face his despair is one that only Namikaze can make. 

Either way, that has very little to do with Orochimaru himself. He’ll be fairly occupied once the research facility is up and running. Even now, he’s been dedicating time to reviewing various applications from the Academy students interested in joining the institute. Orochimaru will be sure to personally weed through them all so he can ensure that only the most qualified join.

However, two of the most promising candidates aren’t exactly applicants in the traditional sense. 

Orochimaru had gotten word that there was a child in Konoha’s orphanage who was already well versed in medical ninjutsu. There he had found Kabuto, a boy who displayed exceptional skill and intelligence for his young age. After speaking to the orphanage head and Kabuto, both were open to the idea of him joining the research facility in a few years’ time. Kabuto was intrigued by the idea of expanding his knowledge while Yakushi, the orphanage head, was relieved to hear that Kabuto was eligible for a stipend that could be used for the orphanage’s maintenance. In addition, Kabuto would be welcome to take time off to aid Yakushi in running the orphanage. 

Orochimaru realizes that this is quite a generous offer, but he does want someone with medical training at the facility. Tsunade has already begun an aggressive campaign to recruit gifted students to the hospital. If he doesn’t act now, there will be none left. 

The other up-and-coming candidate is markedly different. Almost all of the applicants to the research facility are academically inclined students. However, Anko Mitarashi had instead expressed interest in learning ninjutsu from him. In an interview, she had admitted to not being intellectually minded although Orochimaru can tell that she makes up for it in practical skill. Mitarashi could make for a valuable apprentice. 

He’ll see where this goes. 

Whatever happens in the coming years, it shouldn’t be dull at the very least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minato gets some unpleasant news, but Orochimaru has come to terms with his current situation.


	9. The space between branches- Sakura

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura surprises many people and most importantly, herself.

In Sakura’s eyes, nothing about her was particularly exceptional.

While training to be a kunoichi makes her a little more interesting than the average civilian, she’s still painfully average in comparison to the rest of her classmates at the Academy. Sakura has no kekkei genkai, dōjutsu, or clan techniques to her name. She doesn’t have any animal summons. She’s not particularly strong, fast, or skilled at fighting either. Sakura does consider herself to be intelligent, but she’s not a genius the way that Shikamaru is. 

Very little about Sakura stands out. All she has to distinguish herself with is the color of her hair, her larger than average forehead, and a name that is a little too on the nose. And Sakura assumed that she would continue to be unremarkable throughout her life. It was a rather demoralizing mindset at its core, but she had come to terms with it. After all, being ordinary didn’t mean that she couldn’t still find happiness or contentment in life.

And Sakura had felt that way until the hospital recruiters visited the Academy. That was the first day where she believed that she might be able to become more. 

While Konoha had implemented the trainee program geared towards students pursuing noncombatant roles, Sakura had never seriously considered signing up for any of the tracks. She always assumed that she would be a traditional shinobi like both of her parents. 

Still, all the Academy students present that day were required to attend the recruiters’ presentation and participate in their chakra control assessments. Sakura knew that she had fairly good chakra control, so she wasn’t terribly shocked when she completed the diagnostic tests with little difficulty. 

What does surprise her is how the recruiter’s eyes light up in delight as she does this. He begins asking her about her grades and grows even more excited when Sakura reports that she excels at academics and spends a significant amount of time studying. The recruiter inquires about her plans for the future, and a contemplative look crosses over his face after Sakura reports that she’s never given much thought to becoming a medic. 

She doesn’t think much about that interaction, at least not until an envelope shows up at her house a few days later. 

Inside is a very formal looking letter from the hospital. And it’s inviting her to enroll in the medical trainee program. Not to apply, but to _join_. Due to her current abilities and grades, the hospital is apparently willing to waive the entire application process for her and has issued her an open invitation to join its ranks.

Sakura’s parents are overjoyed for her, and they strongly imply that they think it would be a good idea for her to join. They don’t say it outright, but they do mention multiple times how medical nin have become much more prized now that Tsunade has become the head of the hospital. To train and work at the institution of one of the Legendary Sannin would certainly be a great honor.

Sakura nevertheless spends a few days thinking over her decision. Because joining the trainee program would mean being separated from most of her classmates since trainees have their own curriculum to follow during their final year of the Academy. 

It would mean leaving Ino, who has been her best friend for years, and it would also mean that she couldn’t be around Sasuke, who she still finds extremely good looking even though he acts just as rowdy as the other boys at school. But Sakura has never been singled out as someone special before. And that, in the end, is what convinces her to accept the hospital’s offer. 

The medical trainee classes are challenging but aren’t anything Sakura can’t handle with enough studying. Operating in a genin team is a little more difficult, especially because she had to bring her taijutsu up to par. Every single time Sakura felt that she was far too weak, she had to remind herself that the hospital _wanted_ her. They _chose_ her, so it’s up to Sakura to prove that they didn’t choose wrong. In the end, she doesn’t think she’ll ever be terribly useful in direct combat, but she’s able to meet the standards at the very least. 

Working together as a unit takes some adjustment as well, but her teammates prove to be reasonable individuals. And after her temporary jōnin-sensei gives them all the okay, Sakura is finally able to join the hospital in an official capacity. 

She’s no stranger to the hospital at this point, given how much time she’s already spent there shadowing medical nin. Although it’s different now that Sakura is no longer an Academy student. As is customary with incoming trainees, she’s placed on a rotational track throughout the various hospital wards and assigned a mentor.

To Sakura’s surprise, her mentor turns out to be none other than Sasuke’s older brother, Itachi. She had never personally met the Uchiha clan heir before, but she’s seen him pick Sasuke up from the Academy on numerous occasions. As a mentor, Sakura finds Itachi to be extremely intelligent and highly attentive. He’s undeniably skilled and always take the time to explain the more difficult concepts to her. Overall, Sakura feels that she can’t complain. 

Especially because Itachi Uchiha is also very, very handsome…

A few months into her rotational track, Sakura is working the evening shift at the hospital. Tonight, she’s under the supervision of Kaori, one of the other mentors who happens to be very bubbly and extremely competent. As the two make their rounds, she points out the various signs that Sakura should be on the lookout for when it comes to patients admitted for overnight stays.

“There’s a lot you need to pay attention to and a lot of that depends on what condition the patient was admitted for!” Kaori rattles off. “But unhindered breathing and steady heart rate are, of course, a good start!” 

Meanwhile, Sakura just nods and tries to take it all in.

After around two hours, Kaori receives a call notifying her that there’s a boy with a broken leg requiring medical attention. As one of the emergency workers for that night, she hurries off the handle the issue. Before she goes, she gives Sakura the go-ahead to continue the rounds. The patients in this particular wing were only admitted for minor injury or medical issues after all. Really, they only need an eye kept on them for procedure’s sake.

So Sakura continues pacing through the various rooms, confirming that each patient remains stable. But as she’s about to turn the corner of the hallway, Sakura sees a flash of dark clothing out of the corner of her eye. Suddenly suspicious, she surreptitiously doubles back to investigate.

It’s a man, one that is carrying a kunai and creeping very deliberately towards the jōnin sleeping in the hospital bed in the corner of the room. 

Sakura’s heart drops in her chest. Because it appears, for all intents and purposes, that this intruder means to do these patients harm. And there won’t be enough time for her to call for help. She has to do something _now_.

But Sakura has only sparred with fellow shinobi and fought off civilian bandits during missions. She’s never had to actually fight for her life before. But something even more important is at stake here, the lives of her patients are being threatened. 

She takes a brief moment to steel her nerves and consider her options. The assassin isn’t wearing any armor, only thin clothing suited for stealth. So it looks like Sakura’s best bet is to try and land a solid hit on a vulnerable point like his solar plexus. If she’s successful, she might be able to stun him long enough to call for reinforcements.

Despite her terror, Sakura steps out into the doorway. As the assassin whirls around at the noise, she charges at him. Sakura screams, partly to attract as much attention as possible and partly to disguise how terrified she actually is. 

Luckily, it appears that the intruder was expecting her to aim for his head, and he doesn’t manage to dodge in time. Her fist connects with his torso, and Sakura almost wants to cry in relief. But her blow does more than just land. In that moment of impact, Sakura hears the air exiting the assassin’s lungs before he’s suddenly sent flying back into the opposite wall. 

He crashes against the surface, the force of his body shaking the floor and cracking the plaster. The assassin slumps onto the ground where he lies motionless.

A split second later, she hears shouts of concern and the sounds of quite a few footsteps approaching. With her adrenaline spent, Sakura doesn’t know how long she stood there frozen in shock. She manages to avoid collapsing onto the ground but just barely.

By the time Sakura has begun to fully process the events around her, she realizes that the room is now full. The hospital security, emergency staff, and Anbu are in the process of restraining the intruder and sweeping the area for any more. At the same time, Tsunade is there relaying instructions to them all in a low, serious voice. For some reason, Orochimaru is there as well, looking mildly disinterested as he always does. 

Tsunade waits until the Anbu have taken the assassin away before addressing Sakura.

“You’re Sakura, right? Itachi’s mentee.”

Sakura nods in affirmation. 

“Well,” Tsunade continues, “you’ve done an excellent job here. She appraises the damage once more. “Because I’d say you hit him what, nine feet?”

“Eight and a half, actually” Orochimaru cuts in, looking slightly less bored now as he inspects the would-be assassin’s trajectory across the room. 

“Have you ever done anything like that before? Enhance your strength with chakra?”

Sakura shakes her head, still feeling somewhat faint.

A determined gleam suddenly appears in Tsunade’s eyes. “Well, we can’t have that. Meet me at Training Ground Three at two o’clock Thursday afternoon. We’ve got a lot to work on.”

“Of, of course, I’ll be there!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some things just don’t change, or in which Sakura will still become a medic with ridiculous strength.


	10. Gaze past the darkness- Tsunade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsunade has a heart to heart with someone who needs to hear it.

Tsunade finishes assembling the reports that she plans to drop off at the Hokage’s office. It’s already quite late, so she’d rather wrap this all up before she heads home for the day. 

She doesn’t expect for anyone to be there due to the time, so she had intended to leave the files outside the office. There’s no pressing information in the reports so they’re fine to wait until tomorrow morning. But as Tsunade approaches, she sees a ray of light shining out from the crack under the door. She sighs, the air leaving her lungs in a disgruntled huff. 

_Of course._

She raps her knuckles on the door three times before pushing it open.

“Working late again, Hokage-sama?” Tsunade comments, the disapproval in her voice obvious. From what Jiraiya has mentioned, it’s the fourth time this week he’s done this.

Minato Namikaze looks up from his desk and at least has the self-awareness to look sheepish behind the massive stacks of paper before him.

She initially planned on going straight home after dropping the reports off. Shizune has been teaching Tenzō how to use the kitchen, and their cooking sessions tend to necessitate an extremely high level of supervision. However, Tsunade thinks she might just place her trust in the two tonight and hope for the best. Because somebody needs to talk some sense into the Hokage, preferably now, and it’s obvious that Jiraiya’s many speeches haven’t had much success here. 

The Yondaime signs in resignation, correctly interpreting the look on her face. 

Since he knows what’s coming, Tsunade cuts to the chase.

“You can’t keep doing this,” she states bluntly. In the back of her mind, Tsunade can’t help but think about how the tables have turned. It’s more than a little absurd that she’s now the one calling out other people’s unhealthy coping mechanisms.

Minato puts down his pen and gives her a halfhearted smile. “I’m-"

But he cuts himself off abruptly, shaking his head. “Not fine, actually,” Minato finally finishes. “But that’s not important, is it?”

He fixes her with a weary stare. “I just need to do my job. It doesn’t matter how I feel.”

Tsunade takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. Opening them, she responds, “First of all, that’s not true at all. Second, working yourself to death is not the solution to your troubles. I would know.” 

She frowns for a brief moment, considering her own words. “Granted, I did the exact opposite and abandoned every single one of my duties instead. But my point still stands.” 

Minato isn’t meeting her eyes, but she continues. “I’ve been down this path before, and it’s not one that takes you anywhere good.”

He doesn’t say anything for a while, lost in thought as he rearranges one the piles of paperwork on his desk. And then, he speaks up. “I remember Jiraiya would say that he didn’t know if you were ever going to come back to Konoha. But you’re here now, so something changed. How did you move past all those experiences?”

“Honestly, I would say I’m still in that process,” Tsunade admits. “I will probably always be in that process. I’m never going to be the same person I was before I lost them because it’s like I fell into a dark pit when it happened. I’ve recently realized that it is possible to climb out of there, and that’s what I’m trying to do now. I’m trying to get myself away from that misery, bit by bit.”

These are feelings that Tsunade could never bring herself to vocalize to anyone before, not even to Shizune or her former teammates. But she wants to tell Minato this because he’s in the same boat that she was all those years ago. 

One day you’re at the top of the world as one of the village’s most prized shinobi. Then suddenly, the loved ones you took for granted are gone forever. And even though it feels like the world is ending, everyone else still expects you to carry on like nothing happened. Tsunade couldn’t cope with it, and that’s why she left. 

She’s been through it herself, so she wants Minato to know that the pain is not all there is. 

Tsunade presses on. “I couldn’t stand the sight of blood after Dan died. Every single time I saw it, I just thought about him bleeding out and how I couldn’t do anything to stop it. It was too much for me to take. But the other day, Tenzō nicked himself while he was chopping mushrooms. Shizune patched him up, of course, but I managed to stay in the room and didn’t flip out until twenty minutes later.” She gives a preoccupied smile at this. “It’s not much, but it’s something.”

Minato looks marginally less dejected and a little more contemplative now. 

Another thought crosses Tsunade’s mind upon this observation. “Do you know what Jiraiya said that convinced me to come back?” she asks.

Although Minato doesn’t say anything, Tsunade can see a slight interest in his drained eyes.

“He said that you were working the make the village a better place and that it was your way of healing.

When he told me that, it reminded me that there was so much that I could be doing but wasn’t. And it was all because I was too scared of failing and letting everyone down. So I came back and saw all the things that I could be helping with. One thing led to another, and…”

Tsunade shrugs, letting that thought trail off before picking back up. “But you, I think you might’ve taken it too far. It seems like this excessive work schedule you’ve got going on is a way for you to punish yourself. Am I wrong?”

Minato exhales slowly, resting his chin on his hand. “Not at all,” he admits. “I thought that maybe work would be a distraction from it all. And when that didn’t pan out I figured I might as well do as much good as I can while I’m at it. Regardless of how I felt, I could still improve people’s lives.” 

“Distractions are compelling,” Tsunade agrees. “It seems like it could be an easy fix, but nothing will really ever take your mind off of it. You just keep thinking about how much you blame yourself. And there lies the key really, realizing that you aren’t actually to blame for what’s happened. 

Still, that something only you can decide. But I thought that it might do you some good to hear those things.”

“Yes, thank you for that,” Minato answers quietly, running his fingers through his hair. 

At this point, Tsunade feels it’s time for their conversation to come to an end. “I’ll leave you to it then.”

Minato gives her a nod as she walks to the door. She does leave him with one more recommendation, however.

“But first get some rest, doctor’s orders.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This here marks the beginning of the healing process for Minato.


	11. Bring yourself to love- Sasuke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke has few complaints about his life thus far.

Sasuke is only thirteen, but even he knows how quickly circumstances can change. His life now, for example, is nothing like he thought it would turn out as a child.

For as long as he could remember, Itachi was always looking after him. That was the essence of Itachi: thoughtful, caring, and miles above Sasuke in every possible area. At the age of three, Sasuke had no complaints about having such a skilled older brother watching over him. 

However, it became something that began to wear on by the time he reached five years of age. Because Itachi was already as skilled as a fully-fledged shinobi when he was six. After Sasuke failed to achieve the same benchmarks, the rest of the clan whispered about how Sasuke wouldn’t be able to reach the same success that Itachi was sure to find. Itachi was a prodigy, a genius, and a shinobi who could become the next hero of Konoha. He was destined to bring glory to the Uchiha clan, and it seemed as though Sasuke was destined to remain in his shadow.

But something unexpected happened. Itachi joined the medical trainee program, meaning that he was going to work in the hospital instead of learning how to fight in the field. And with that went the clan’s hopes of molding Itachi into their next champion. Sasuke wasn’t able to fully grasp the intricacies of the ensuing discourse at that time, but he could tell that the arguments were particularly heated. 

Despite the backlash, Sasuke had welcomed the new development. Mother was quite pleased, and Father had obviously granted his approval for this to even happen.

But it was the difference in Itachi himself that convinced Sasuke that this was a move for the better. It was a change that even his six-year-old self could perceive. Something about his brother had felt lighter, _freer_ since then. Itachi had always been dutiful, following orders without any sign of complaint. But looking back, Sasuke can’t say for certain that his brother had ever seemed truly content before. 

By now, Itachi has risen quickly through the ranks at the hospital and has no shortage of patients to look after. While the role of a healer is an arduous and demanding one, Itachi displays a sense of ease in the hospital that he rarely exhibits anywhere else. 

Try as he might, Sasuke can’t see the appeal of being a medical nin though. Although, funnily enough, there was a point where he had seriously considered following his older brother into the medic program. But, he had ultimately decided against it.

The rest of the clan had collectively breathed a sigh of relief then. 

As pleased as they were, Sasuke hadn’t made the decision for them. A combination of hero-worship and insecurity had initially pushed him to try and imitate Itachi in every possible way. But Sasuke is aware of his limits and fully acknowledges that being a medical nin lies far outside of his capabilities. He certainly doesn’t possess the fortitude to soothe nervous children, manage delirious patients, or argue with injured shinobi who are convinced that they don’t need any medical attention. While those are the main hassles that Itachi will mention, Sasuke has no doubt that there are far more. Either way, they are all tasks that should be left to those best suited for it. 

However, two students from Sasuke’s class did end up joining the trainee program. Shino Aburame had applied for the research scientist track while Sakura Haruno joined the medical-nin program. Sasuke wasn’t terribly surprised about Shino, but he never thought that Sakura ever had any interest in becoming a medic.

After graduation, it was time for the new genin to be divided into three-man teams. Unsurprisingly, Ino, Shikamaru, and Chōji were paired together to form Team 10 under Asuma Sarutobi. This left Sasuke with Kiba Inuzuka and Hinata Hyūga to become Team 8. 

Sasuke had few reservations about this arrangement both then and now. Kiba is certainly a bit brash, but he’s also the strongest and quickest of the three. Hinata is intelligent and level-headed even though she’s a little timider than one would expect for a shinobi. But he figured that they would be fine considering that all three of them have a respectable amount of skills in taijutsu. And this was even before taking into account their respective clan techniques and kekkei genkai. 

Their sensei turned out to be Kurenai Yūhi, a newly promoted jōnin with eyes as red as a Sharingan and a mastery of genjutsu that was said to surpass most Uchiha. Overall, Sasuke felt that Team 8 would prove to be a strong and well-balanced unit.

And his prediction turns out to be fairly accurate. While they do experience a few hitches as they adjust to working so closely with one another, missions and trainings progress smoothly for the most part.

Even so, if no one ever reminds Sasuke about that mission with the drunken bandits it’ll still be far too soon in his book. 

Now, Sasuke is a little more preoccupied with the unexpected presence of Sakura Haruno into his daily life. 

It’s just _weird._

As an Academy student, the most noteworthy aspect of Sakura had been her _hair_. She had been a fairly good student from what Sasuke can remember, but she mainly stuck to Ino’s side at school. And every now and then, Sakura would sneak a glance in his direction and giggle. Sasuke never figured out what any of that meant though. Regardless, there was absolutely nothing to suggest that Sakura would one day possess the skills to attract the attention of a Sannin. 

The point was that Sasuke had barely thought of Sakura, even when they were in the same class. Now, Mother and Father keep inviting her over for dinner. Apparently, Itachi is Sakura’s mentor at the hospital in addition to her training partner. For some reason or another, Tsunade had recommended for the two to spar together in their downtime. And ever since she made that suggestion, the various training grounds of Konoha have never been the same. 

The one time he decided to observe one of their training sessions, Sasuke was nearly crushed by a falling tree. Sakura and his brother had seemed to be engaging in a two-person game of tag taken to excessively forceful levels. During that particular session, Itachi had been dodging Sakura’s attacks while she broke craters into the ground in an attempt to land a hit on him.

Sasuke concludes afterward that all medics are, in fact, crazy. Itachi’s and Sakura’s insanity just happens to be slightly more obvious than most. 

He’s perfectly fine with where he is now, thank you very much. Sasuke still isn’t sure as to what his long term goals are, but he’s currently entertaining the notion of joining the Konoha Military Police. The rest of the clan has been overwhelmingly supportive of this idea as well, considering it to be a respectable path for the son of the clan head to pursue.

To Sasuke’s surprise, Kiba has also expressed interest in following his clan members into the force. After the Military Police opened up to non-Uchiha, the Inuzuka shinobi who joined shortly after quickly proved to be invaluable members. So there’s a likely chance that Sasuke could still work with his teammate, even after they’re promoted. While he isn’t sure what Hinata intends to do in the long run, maybe she would consider joining as well. 

Sasuke isn’t sure what the future will bring, but that’s not an issue of concern for him.

Life has been surprising at times, but certainly not unpleasant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke benefits from a much more relaxed upbringing here. 
> 
> Also, I’m leaving it open as to whether or not Sakura and Itachi will actually have romantic feelings towards each other later on. Since they’re already good friends, Mikoto thinks they would be cute together. Meanwhile, Fugaku believes that Sakura would be a good match for Itachi politically, seeing as Tsunade has essentially handpicked her as her successor.


	12. As the dwelling settles- Kushina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Throughout the years with Kushina.

If there’s anything that can encourage change, it’s war. Nothing exposes inherent flaws in a system the same way that constant violence and turmoil do. The suffering and destruction that war brings can be enlightening in its own morbid way, leading people to realize that they don’t want their lives to continue like this, that they want things to be different when the conflict hopefully concludes. 

For those reasons, the end of a war can become a ripe time for reform to those who are forward-thinking enough. And Minato certainly falls within that category. In fact, he’d pushed far beyond the point where most would have even dreamed of. 

The most obvious had been the new rules on the minimum age for graduation from the Academy. But Minato had also called for an improvement of village security, leading to a greater number of guards, increased training, and more efficient patrol schedules. 

And these improvements had proved instrumental several years back during an incident involving a shinobi sent from Kumo. The other hidden village had claimed an interest in developing trade agreements with Konoha, and a Kumo diplomat had arrived to review and sign the official documents. 

However, Anbu guards had discovered the envoy skulking around the Hyūga clan grounds several nights after his arrival. After apprehending the Kumo nin, the patrol team had taken him to Torture and Interrogation where Inoichi Yamanaka extracted information from his subconscious mind in order to discern his intentions.

It turned out that the true purpose of the so-called ambassador was to kidnap the Hyūga clan’s young heir. Kumo sought to obtain a Byakugan for itself and had proposed the trade pact so that its shinobi could enter Konoha unhindered. 

But instead of delivering a fierce retaliation, Konoha had simply delivered the would-be kidnapper back to Kumo in chains. Accompanying him was an Anbu escort who bore a message reporting on everything the Intelligence Division had unearthed from the Kumo nin’s mind. 

Kumo’s actions were undoubtedly inflammatory, but Minato felt that the Raikage would be sufficiently cowed from the humiliation of being found out. And it wasn’t long before his assumption was validated. 

In response, Kumo had sent a formal message of apology and a request for Konoha to refrain from informing the other hidden villages about their transgression. Minato had agreed, recognizing the advantages that this arrangement would bring. After all, no one would ever trust Kumo again if they knew the full extent of their deceitful acts.

If any in Konoha had reservations about Minato’s ability before, they were all but erased after his successful handling of the potentially volatile affair. Under the Yondaime’s leadership, a threat to Konoha was neutralized while the village was able to gain the political upper hand over Kumo. 

Morale was already high due to the end of the war and the Sannin’s extensive contributions to the village, but the people of Konoha seemed to truly feel that they were in capable hands from thereon. 

And this would come to benefit Minato’s personal well-being too. Kushina watches as the front of confidence he puts on for the public gradually shifts into the real thing. After time, lengthy conversations, and relentless reassurances, Minato had begun to let go of the blame he carried. For so long, he believed that the unfortunate deaths of his three students were solely his fault, and Kushina is relieved to see that weight leaving his shoulders.

But that doesn’t mean that everything is fixed. The self-hatred may have finally ebbed, yet the pain will always be there. 

Minato, to this day, still does not wish to have children. Kushina initially assumed that he needed time to overcome his sorrow, but she believes that she truly understands now. She’s spoken to a number of those who had lost their children during the Third Shinobi War and is therefore able to comprehend what Minato is feeling.

One of the programs instated after the war had been one aimed at placing war orphans and later ex-Root operatives with parents who had lost children to the conflict. Some of the mourning parents were open to taking in the children who faced losses of their own. These arrangements had worked out quite well with both parties finding themselves enriched by the experience. The carpenter, for example, adopted several children, one of which turned out to have a knack for creating beautiful ink paintings. She and Minato even have one of his works, a piece depicting a flock of birds, framed prominently in their living room. 

There are others, though, whose suffering is still quite raw and will likely remain that way in the foreseeable future. Minato is in a similar situation as he viewed Obito, Rin, and Kakashi as if they were his own children. He may acknowledge now that their deaths were not due to a failure on his part, but the feelings of loss is something he will always be struggling with. The memories of his students bring with them great joy, but also immeasurable grief. 

And Kushina considers this the driving factor behind Minato’s reluctance to have children. There’s only so much that Minato’s heart can take, and bringing a child into the world is not something he’s prepared to handle. 

It reminds her of what Tsunade had mentioned about Tenzō, the boy with the Mokuton that she had essentially adopted. 

She and Orochimaru had determined that Tenzō likely originated from the Iburi clan, and had accordingly scheduled for him to visit once he was medically cleared for travel. But to Tsunade’s surprise, Tenzō had later expressed strong resistance to the plan.

“He doesn’t want to visit them now,” Tsunade had told her, her eyes concerned. “He doesn’t even believe that he actually came from the Iburi clan in the first place. And even if that weren’t the case, he said he doesn’t want to see him. Tenzō got his hands on the records and found out that the Iburi clan had willingly sent their children to Konoha to act as test subjects. So if he is that same Tenzō, they essentially volunteered him to go through everything he’s experienced. Because of that, Tenzō said he’d rather stay with those who care for him now than try to find the people who may have allowed him to be experimented on.” 

From Kushina’s perspective, it seems as though Tenzō has realized that such a visit would open himself up to even more hurt. You can only cope with so much pain after all. Her best guess is that Minato has adopted a similar mindset. 

And there lies the burden of being a shinobi. They are powerful, unyielding, and unfailingly loyal to the villages they serve. But they are ultimately human at the end of the day and must confront the aftereffects of the lives they lead. No one is left unaffected, from the Hokage himself to all the children caught up in situations greater than they could’ve imagined. 

Still, these are the experiences that make and shape a person. With the support he has, Kushina is confident that Tenzō will find his own sort of peace. As for Minato, she knows that he will never be the same person that he was before losing his students. But that doesn’t matter to Kushina.

She’s already proud of the person Minato has become.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s a shame that none of this is meant to last…


	13. Remember all the faces- Minato

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minato drops in to have a few words with the ones no longer there

Flowers in hand, Minato comes to a stop before the Memorial Stone. 

It’s late in the night, the darkness having settled in for several hours already. There’s no one else here, but Minato prefers it this way. 

In the time shortly after Rin’s and Kakashi’s deaths, Minato was a regular fixture at the Memorial Stone. He would visit once a month and bring flowers to leave in front of the monument like any other mourner, but he would never say anything 

Back then, it felt like anything he could’ve said would have been inadequate. The only thing Minato could think of in those moments were apologies, and he thought that his students wouldn’t have cared to hear them. So he had always remained silent during his time at the Memorial Stone. 

But after a while, Minato eventually realized that he wasn’t actually paying his respects. Instead, he was treating those sessions as an opportunity for him to wallow in his own guilt and blame himself for everything that had gone wrong. And not only was this behavior unhealthy, but Minato was also not honoring the memory of his students by doing so. 

After losing Obito, Rin, and Kakashi, he had considered himself solely at fault for their untimely demises. Minato believed wholeheartedly that he was the reason why the three of them were no longer there and attempted to claim all responsibility for his students’ deaths. But to do that would be to diminish the significance of their own resolve and convictions that had guided their decisions. 

All three of their names are carved into the Memorial Stone for a reason. Obito, Rin, and Kakashi had lost their lives in service to Konoha, outcomes that were brought upon by their own bravery and dedication. And while Minato would much rather have his students here with him instead, he is unmeasurably proud of them nonetheless. 

Once Minato had finally realized that those behaviors and attitudes were extremely detrimental to his overall well-being, he wanted to channel his sorrow in a manner that was a little less destructive. But he wanted to do something where he could still pay tribute to his students and thank them for the impact they’ve had on his life. And the Memorial Stone seemed like a fitting place to do that. 

To start, Minato had stopped at the flower shop owned by the Yamanakas and spent an afternoon learning about the numerous meanings and symbolism associated with various blooms. After carefully perusing the options, he had eventually settled on three different bundles of flowers to take with him. 

Minato had brought purple hyacinths for Kakashi. He intended for them to represent an apology, although it wasn’t supposed to be one that originated from Minato alone. Instead, he hoped to apologize on behalf of the world for all the sorrow and pain that circumstance had brought Kakashi. 

Because even from an early age, life had not been kind to his prodigious student. Minato just wishes that the importance of connections and camaraderie was something that Kakashi would’ve been able to realize sooner. He wishes that fate hadn’t made that lesson such a difficult one for him to learn, that it hadn’t been one that Kakashi had only just managed to grasp at the end of his life. 

For Rin, Minato picked out a pink sweet pea bouquet. He wanted to thank her for her kindness, for how she patiently mediated between two boys who got along like cats and dogs. Minato was never able to tell her just how much he appreciated her considerate nature, something she had managed to keep even as the Third Shinobi War raged around them. 

Rin was the calming, steadfast presence bridging the gap between her teammates, both struggling with their own kinds of insecurities. Minato will always be grateful to her for that and for the privilege of having her as his student. 

The bundle of white lilacs was for Obito, the downtrodden boy who remained earnest and optimistic through it all. Sometimes, Minato feels that a child with such an innocent heart was never meant to become a shinobi. 

After all, this was someone who spent his spare time doing favors for the residents of Konoha. But Minato supposes it was this deep care for others that motivated Obito to action. He certainly never lost sight of what was important to him as his last actions had been to ensure the safety of his teammates. 

Minato will take those three bunches of flowers with him on his trips to the Memorial Stone. He only comes to the monument on two specific occasions now, the anniversary of the day his team was formed and the anniversary of the day Minato became the last one standing. 

After he’s arrived and arranged the bouquets carefully in front of the monument, Minato talks. He never plans for a specific topic to speak about though. It’s usually whatever has been on his mind lately or something that he thought Obito, Rin, and Kakashi might like to hear. Sometimes he’ll talk for only a few minutes, sometimes for over an hour. 

It hadn’t been easy at first. He found himself choking on his words during his first few visits, but Minato was able to speak more freely with each time.

Flowers in place, Minato begins as the fragrance from the bundles fill the night air.

“Things seem like they’re settling down now. It feels less like I’m dragging myself through each day and more like I’m living it. I’m glad to have reached this point, that everyone’s help has been finally paying off. You wouldn’t believe how much they’ve gotten on to me,” Minato admits with a slightly sheepish smile. 

“I’ve said this before, but the village is such a different place now. I know what’s done is done, but I still wish you were all here to see it. There was so much more out there for you.” 

Minato’s eyes find Rin’s name on the stone. 

“You would’ve been so excited for the changes at the hospital, Rin. Maybe you would’ve been able to work under Tsunade. He chuckles a little at this. “Though from what I’m hearing, you might’ve wanted to keep your distance. She’s been keeping the staff on their toes ever since she’s come back.”

As the wind rustles the nearby tree branches, Minato addresses his next words to Kakashi.

“Konoha is becoming a kinder place now that the war is over, and I believe it could’ve brought you peace as well. Either way, I’m certain you would have done great things.” 

Then to Obito, the first they said goodbye to. 

“I wish you could see the Uchiha clan now, Obito. They’ve done so much to open themselves up to the rest of the village. I know you felt out of place before, but I think you would be at home with them now.”

His next words are obvious, but Minato says them nonetheless. "I miss all of you, more than you could possibly imagine.” 

And with that, it feels like it’s time for him to go. This is one of the shorter times, but he’ll be back before long. 

Minato brushes his right hand gently over the smooth, cool surface of the Memorial Stone. 

“Until next time then,” he whispers softly before he turns his back to the monument and walks away. 

As Minato leaves, no one sees the masked man watching him silently from the shadows. 

No one can see how the figure’s hands are shaking either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He’s finally found solace through the pain, but Obito’s plans are still hanging over all of them.
> 
> This is actually the last of the chapters that I have currently planned out. I definitely intend to add more in the future, but this is it for now. In the meantime, I’ll be focusing more on my Natsume’s Book of Friends/Naruto crossover. 
> 
> This still isn’t the end of this AU as there’s an alternate ending that I’m dying to write out. I’ve been compiling ideas and notes for months now. 
> 
> As always, thank you so much for reading and leaving all the kind and thoughtful comments! You don’t know how much it means to me knowing that people are enjoying my work.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading, please let me know you think! 
> 
> And if you have any ideas for snippets that you’d like to see from this AU, feel free to share them as well!


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